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06 Feb 2023

Kim Petras Hopes People Learn to ‘Judge Less’ Following Her Historic Grammy Win

Kim Petras may “never cause no drama,” but she’s certainly ready to put an end to it.

At Sunday night’s Grammys (Feb. 5), Petras and Sam Smith took home the award for best pop duo/group performance, making Petras the first transgender winner in the category. In a press conference following her win, the pop singer said that she couldn’t help but think about the people who told her she wouldn’t make it.

“All these years are going through my head of people saying I would be a ‘niche artist’ because I’m transgender and my music would only ever play in gay clubs,” she said, adding that gay clubs “raised” her. “Now, I got a Grammy for making gay club music with my friend, and that’s the best feeling in the world.”

When asked what she hoped people watching could take away from her historic victory, Petras offered up a plea for greater understanding. “Honestly, I just think people need to judge less,” she said. “I hope that there’s a future where gender and identity and all these labels don’t matter that much. I hope all the kids that saw this that are special or different or feel like they don’t belong … feel inspired that, ‘Yes, you can be yourself and get rewarded for your talent rather than your gender or your sexuality.’”

While many watching were excited by the prospect of Petras earning her first Grammy, others online were getting fired up over her performance with Smith. Conservatives online referred to the pair’s fire-and-brimstone performance as “satanic,” with Senator Ted Cruz even weighing in to call the live number “evil.”

As Petras tells it, that was very much the point of their presentation. “It’s a take on not being able to choose religion, and not being able to live the way that people might want you to live,” she said matter-of-factly. “I think a lot of people have labeled what I stand for and what Sam stands for as ‘religiously not cool.’ I personally grew up wondering about religion and wanting to be a part of it, but then slowly realizing it doesn’t want me to be a part of it.”

Petras saved her kindest words backstage for Smith, referring to the singer as “a very special friend” and thanking them for their support since the outset of her career. “It’s really special to share this with someone who’s given me such important advice in my life, who has helped me in dealing with the opinions of people,” she said. “So, yeah, Sam will never get rid of me and we will always sing this song for eternity.”

Check out Petras’ full backstage press conference at the 2023 Grammys above.

06 Feb 2023

Gangsta Boo & Lil Keed Omitted From 2023 Grammys In Memoriam Segment: Fans React

While the In Memoriam performance at the 65th annual Grammy Awards on Sunday (Feb. 5) paid tribute to the passing of many music stars in 2022, several notable omissions left fans irate, most notably the absences of Gangsta Boo and Lil Keed. 

Boo, born Lola Chantrelle Mitchell, died on New Year’s Day this year. She rose to prominence during her teenage years and played an integral role in creating Three 6 Mafia. At the time of her death, Memphis Police Department said in a statement that there were no immediate signs of foul play and the investigation into her death was ongoing. She was 43. 

Despite a gripping performance delivered by Quavo for his Migos bandmate and nephew, Takeoff, hip-hop fans chirped on social media about Boo’s exclusion. “Leaving out Gangsta Boo, one of the pioneers of Southern female rap, from the GRAMMY memoriam segment is a sin and a shame,” said one fan. “Celebrating the 50th Anniversary of Hip Hop tonight and forgetting to include Gangsta Boo in the memorial video is disrespectful af @RecordingAcad,” tweeted another.

Viewers also had something to say about the omission of YSL’s Lil Keed,” who died last May. “Grammy’s really didn’t honor Lil Keed. Scum,” said a viewer on Twitter.

According to the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner-Coroner, Keed’s cause of death stemmed from eosinophilia. Eosinophilia is a rare condition in which the number of eosinophils — a type of white blood cell — is greatly increased, according to cancer.gov. 

Billboard has reached out to the Recording Academy for comment about the omissions.

Take a look at some of the tweets reacting to Boo and Keed’s omissions below. 

06 Feb 2023

A Sequel To 2000’s ‘Gladiator’ Is Officially In The Works

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Il Gladiatore In Concerto (Gladiator The Concert) - Concert At Circo Massimo In Rome

Source: Elisabetta A. Villa / Getty

It’s been 23 years since Russell Crowe took the world by storm playing General Maximus Decimus Meridius in Ridley Scott’s historical action/drama film, Gladiator. Although it seemed like a one-shot affair, the classic film is apparently getting a sequel (now?!?).

Deadline is reporting that Paramount has tapped Ridley Scott to return to the Colosseum that saw General Maximus become a legend and continue the story that began two decades ago, but unfortunately it will not be involving Crowe’s classic character (he died at the end of the film). Instead, the movie will star a lesser known character from the original, Lucius who will be played by Paul Mescal. In Gladiator, Lucius was in line to take the throne vacated by his blood thirsty and apparently incest-obsessed uncle, Commodus.

As Justin Kroll first reported, Mescal isn’t replacing Russell Crowe’s Maximus from the first film, who died. He’s playing Lucius, the son of Lucilla (Connie Nielsen), who now is a grown man as the story takes place years after the first film ended. Lucius also was the nephew of Commodus (Joaquin Phoenix), the son of Roman leader Marcus Aurelius, who murdered his father seized the throne. Commodus wound up in the gladiator ring with Maximus — who, though mortally wounded, skewered the emperor before fading into the great beyond to reunite with his slain wife and son. Maximus saved the boy and his mother while avenging his own family, and left a strong impression on the young Lucius.

Nobody in the theater gave a damn about that kid, Lucius. He could’ve been fed to the tigers for all we cared. But hey, that’s just us.

Whether or not fans of Gladiator will still have interest in a sequel and circle back to the franchise minus Russell Crowe remains to be seen (we’re kinda cool on Gladiator 2 for now) but we’ll wait until we get an official trailer to the film before we decide on whether or not to catch the film when it drops on November 22nd 2024.

Are you looking forward to Gladiator 2? Is it two decades too late? Let us know in the comments section below.

06 Feb 2023

J Prince Fires Shots At Offset & Ignites Beef, Civilian Twitter Has Unnecessary Commentary

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Super Bowl LI Parties

Source: Prince Williams / Getty

J Prince has garnered a reputation that seems larger than life in some respects, prompting many to hold the Texas native’s name in both reverence and fear. The Rap-A-Lot and Mob Ties honcho was a recent guest on the Million Dollaz Worth of Game podcast and took a swipe at Offset, prompting a reply along with civilian Twitter seemingly knowing the ins and outs of how gangsters move.

J Prince, J Prince Jr., and other members of the Prince family sat down with Gillie and Wallo to chop it up over a number of topics. Gillie rightly opened up the chat by offering condolences to Takeoff, who was shot and killed in J Prince’s native Houston during a dice game that went left.

Fans on Twitter noted that Gillie, typically viewed as an interviewer who asks tough questions, didn’t dig for details and clarity to the level his co-host and cousin Wallo demonstrated. However, the Prince family used the moment to defend themselves against allegations that they had something to do with the death of Takeoff and it appeared they named other individuals in a bid to clear their own involvement according to observers.

There was one point of serious contention as it relates to the Migos collective overall with J Prince saying that Offset was not as close to his blood cousin, Takeoff, in recent times. Mike Prince also got emotional when he spoke about the fateful evening of Takeoff’s death and decried the rumors that the Prince family was connected.

As it stands, J Prince and the Prince family find themselves trending on Twitter while Offset is fuming over the mishandling of the emotional nature of the passing, mentioning his cousin’s mother during his video.

On Twitter, folks are speaking from vantage points that are clearly not cut from the cloth and some folks are throwing flags on the play. Check out those reactions below along with the podcast episode in question.



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Photo: Getty

06 Feb 2023

Taylor Swift & Harry Styles Reunite at the 2023 Grammys: Watch the Moment

You know it’s not the same as it was, but we remember it all too well. It’s been more than a decade since Harry Styles and Taylor Swift dated and called it quits, leaving millions of heartbroken fans feeling akin to children of divorced parents. But at the Grammy Awards Sunday night (Feb. 5), the two singers proved that, though long broken up, Mom and Dad are on great terms, taking time to chat and support one another during the ceremony.

In an onsite video captured during Steve Lacy’s performance of “Bad Habit,” Swift can be seen making her way over to Styles’ table in her glitzy, midnight-blue two-piece gown. The “As It Was” singer, who took home the coveted album of the year award and best pop vocal album for Harry’s House that night, stands up to greet her with a hug.

As Lizzo dances along to Lacy’s performance a few chairs down, the former pop power couple talk for about a minute before Swift glides elegantly away. Did she congratulate her “ex man” (to quote “Shake It Off”) on his wins? Did they discuss the best ways to co-parent their joint fanbase? It remains to be known what their brief conversation was about, but whatever it was, they were all smiles throughout.

The moment mirrors Swift and Styles’ reunion at the Grammys two years ago, when it was Swift who was honored with album of the year for Folklore. Just like this year, the two were also spotted on video having a friendly conversation at the 2021 awards, except Harry was the one to approach Taylor.

The “Anti-Hero” singer — whose “All Too Well (10 Minute Version)” was nominated for song of the year, which went to Bonnie Raitt’s “Just Like That” — was also filmed passionately applauding Styles after his performance of “As It Was,” giving him a standing ovation. Now that snowmobile accidents, paper airplane necklaces and dozens of songs rumored to have been written about each other (looking at you, “Style” and “Two Ghosts”) are simply things of the past, fans can rest easy knowing that the two pop stars are friendly than ever.

Watch Harry Styles and Taylor Swift reunite at the 2023 Grammys below:

06 Feb 2023

20 Songs to Celebrate 20 Years of Banda MS

Banda Sinaloense MS de Sergio Lizárraga, better known as Banda MS, its among banda’s greatest musical innovators. The group’s monumental 20-year career parallels banda music’s continued rise. 

With its heady 17-album discography, which dates back to 2004, the troupe — led by Sergio Lizárraga and now fronted by Alan Ramírez and Oswaldo Silvas Carreón — has not only managed to uphold the century-old regional tradition for two decades, but they’ve demonstrated they aren’t afraid to step out of their comfort zone. 

The Sinaloense band has shown this time over time — whether incorporating rap verses courtesy of Snoop Dogg (and soon Ice Cube), fusing it with other regional styles, like mariachi alongside Christian Nodal, or giving it the pop balladry treatment with the help of Camila’s Mario Domm.

On their latest efforts with Mario Domm, “Un Chingo de Tequila,” Domm tells Billboard Español: “About a year ago I wrote a song and I thought it was something very different from all I had done in my life and I asked myself who was the most important banda artist, and immediately I thought of Banda MS. It’s something new for me; I’m singing something different, new, but I feel comfortable doing it. I am happy to collaborate with Alan, with Walo, in short, with the whole team that has been incredible with me.”

With constant novelty but true to their original rugged essence, it’s no surprise why the wildly viral and chart-topping band has achieved such a large fervid fan base. Their ambitious, tambora-driven sound reveals the vibrant nuances of the genre, as these 20 videos show, while always demonstrating their devotion to their beloved Sinaloense music.

Without further ado, here are 20 songs to celebrate Banda MS’s 20-year career, in random order.

06 Feb 2023

Bomani Jones Jabs Jabroni Jake Paul On ‘Game Theory’

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Source: Paras Griffin / Getty

Social media personality Jake Paul lost his cool after being roasted by Bomani Jones during an interview on his HBO Max show, causing a clip to go viral.

Over the weekend, Jake Paul was the subject of a virtual interview with the Emmy Award-winning journalist for his Game Theory show on HBO Max. The former Disney Channel star and social media influencer-turned-boxer was introduced by Jones after a lengthy monologue, and Jones asked “What happens if you lose?” Paul was annoyed with the question, and he responded “I don’t know who the f*** you are, my PR team set up this interview.” Jones quipped: “All I know about you is that people don’t like you!!”

Things spiraled out of control further as Jones tried to ask Paul another question. “You got what you wanted with your viral interview. This is your big moment,” Paul said. “Soak it all in, man.”

Jones swiftly responded, “I talked to a bunch of bigger m************rs than Jake Paul in this world.”

“Have a nice f—ing day with your clout, buddy,” Paul snapped. “I hope you make a thousand dollars off of this interview for some views. Have a nice day.” He then slammed his laptop shut, putting an abrupt end to the interview.

Paul’s animosity had been present earlier in the interview after Jones asked him earlier about his new venture, Betr, a sports betting app and media company that specializes in micro-betting. “Do you worry that experts say that micro-betting is one of the most addictive forms of gambling, giving that your audience is younger people?” Jones asked.

Paul retorted: “My audience is older people. I get what you’re trying… to be like a hero here and like save the day and paint me in a bad light.” Jones interjected: “I’m saving the day?” Paul responded, “No, you’re trying to. Probably with your guest, you get one over on them, and they’re not smart enough to keep track of what you’re doing.”

Jones began to laugh as he interrupted Paul. “Nobody’s trying to fool you, Jake. Why do I need to try and fool you? I’m asking a real question. You appeal to younger people, and this is how you’ve made a lot of money. And you’re still appealing to young people. And now you are selling micro-betting and the question is, do you worry about that?”



06 Feb 2023

Peep The Trailer To The Rebooted Version of ‘White Men Can’t Jump’

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White Men Can't Jump

Source: YouTube / 20th Century Studios

During last night’s Grammy Awards, 20th Century Fox finally gave us our first teaser trailer to the upcoming reboot to the cult classic comedy, White Men Can’t Jump. And truth be told, it looks aight.

Starring Jack Harlow as the white man referred to in the title, who was played by Woody Harrelson in the original 1992 film, the teaser trailer has Jimmy (Jack Harlow) building a sort of bromance with his partner-in-grind, Kamal Allen (Sinqua Walls) on the basketball court while trying to hustle money out of opponents who assume Jimmy got no game. Though there’s no word on the specific plot to the film or how these two ended up running mates, it does seem like this duo shares a little chemistry in the limited scenes we see in the trailer.

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It should be worth noting that in this version of the movie the characters played by Harlow and Walls aren’t the same as the ones played by Wesley Snipes (Sidney Deane) and Woody Harrelson (Billy Hoyle a.k.a Billy H*e). In other words, don’t be surprised if Sidney and Billy H*e make a surprise cameo appearance in the new film.

Check out the trailer to the Calmatic-directed White Men Can’t Jump and let us know if you’ll be checking for it on Hulu when it starts streaming May 19.



06 Feb 2023

Offset Responds to J. Prince’s Comments About Takeoff’s Death: ‘I Don’t Know You From a Can of Paint’

After attending the 2023 Grammy Awards with wife Cardi B on Sunday night (Feb. 5), Offset posted a no-holds-barred response to recent comments made by J. Prince in which the Rap-A-Lot CEO suggested that ‘Set was not there for his Migos bandmate and cousin Takeoff, 28, before Takeoff’s murder last year.  

“N—as be throwing rocks and hiding they hand, and I don’t like them kind of individuals,” Prince said near the end of the latest episode of the Million Dollaz Worth of Game after noting that “nothing changed” in terms of his love for third Migos member Quavo, but that Offset was another situation.

“In reality, the truth of the matter is, n—a you wasn’t really right there with Takeoff when he was alive. So for you to be taking these positions that you taking,” Prince added, suggesting that he’s got people all around and he’s heard “all kinds of things” from unnamed sources about what happened on the night Takeoff was shot and killed during a night out with Quavo in Prince’s hometown of Houston. Prince also made what seemed like a direct warning to Offset, saying, “Don’t ever put me in a position where I have to defend myself. That wouldn’t be healthy for you.”

As you might imagine, Offset did not take kindly to the comments, posting a video in which he reacted to Prince’s latest provocative claims. “Y’all n—as speaking on my real brother… I don’t know what the f–k ya’ll n—as got going on, y’all n—as talkin’ about my real brother,” the Migos MC said in the minute-long black and white clip. “How dare one of y’all n—as even speak on me and Take relationship. I don’t know you n—as from a can of paint. Ya’ll n—as don’t know how me and my brother rock.”

At press time spokespeople for Offset and J. Prince had not returned re Billboard‘s request for comment.

A heated Offset went on to slam Prince for what he said was his “fifth interview” in which he’s discussed Takeoff’s death. “You ain’t think about his momma? You ain’t think about the family n—a?” ‘Set asked. “We ain’t said nothin’. Ain’t nobody said nothing but you n—as. Who y’all n—as think ya’ll n—as is? John Gotti n—a?… And if you heard something from me, I’mma tell you it’s gonna come from me, call my phone.

Speaking directly into camera, Offset derided the “he said, she said” narrative and again encouraged anyone with anything to say to call him directly and stop playing “internet games.”

Following Takeoff’s shooting, Prince posted condolences to the MC’s friends and family on Instagram. “The Prince family would like to send our condolences to the family and friends of a beautiful soul @yrntakeoff,” the statement read. “To Houstonians and families around the world, this one breaks my heart because Takeoff was a brother, a son, a role model, and a God loving human being. Grief is the price of love; a bill people from across the globe are paying right now as we mourn this loss. I’ve been knowing Takeoff, Quavo and Offset for many years and there has been nothing but mutual love for one another and that ain’t going to ever change where we are concerned.”

Lawyers for Patrick Xavier Clark, 33 — the man charged with the shooting of the rapper born Kirsnick Khari Ball — said in court in December that he’s innocent and that “there’s a lot of investigation that needs to be done.” Takeoff was shot in the head and back as more than 30 people were leaving a private party at a Houston bowling alley on Nov. 1. Houston police have said that gunfire followed a disagreement over a “lucrative” game of dice around 2:30 a.m. and that Takeoff was not involved and was “an innocent bystander.”

At Sunday’s Grammys, Quavo and Maverick City Music delivered a moving tribute to Takeoff during the In Memoriam segment when they performed Quavo’s recent single honoring his late nephew/bandmate, “Without You.”

Check out Offset’s video response and J Prince’s comments below.

 

06 Feb 2023

Taylor Swift’s Lawyers Want Copyright Case Tossed: ‘A Lawsuit That Never Should Have Been Filed’

Taylor Swift‘s attorneys are asking a federal judge to dismiss a copyright lawsuit claiming the star stole aspects of a self-published book of poetry when she created a companion book for her album Lover, calling the case “legally and factually baseless.”

A woman named Teresa La Dart sued Swift last year, claiming that “a number of creative elements” from her 2010 book (also called Lover) were copied into Swift’s book. But in a motion filed Friday in Tennessee federal court, Swift’s lawyers said the copyright lawsuit should be dismissed immediately because it failed in every way possible.

“This is a lawsuit that never should have been filed,” attorney Doug Baldridge wrote for the superstar.

La Dart sued Swift in August over the star’s Lover book – an extra bundled with the special-edition of her Lover CD that the New York Times called a “must-read companion” for Swifties. Released in four different versions, Swift’s book included a total of 120 pages of personal diary entries, accompanied by photos selected by the singer.

La Dart’s lawsuit claims the book’s outer design borrowed a number of visual elements, including its “pastel pinks and blues” and an image of the author “photographed in a downward pose,” as well as the book’s overall format: “a recollection of past years memorialized in a combination of written and pictorial components.” La Dart also says the inner book design – specifically that it’s composed of “interspersed photographs and writings” – infringed her copyrights.

But in Friday’s response, Swift’s lawyers said those elements were just commonplace features of almost any book, meaning they fall well-short of being unique enough to qualify for copyright protection.

“These allegedly-infringing elements, each a generic design format, are not subject to copyright protection,” Baldridge wrote. “Thus, defendants could not possibly have infringed plaintiff’s copyright.”

And even if La Dart had valid copyrights to her book, Swift’s lawyers argued that the accuser has no proof that Swift ever even saw the earlier book, nor that the two books are legally similar to constitute copyright infringement.

“When compared, it is undeniable that the book formats and inner book designs are not similar in the slightest,” Baldridge wrote.

Friday’s arguments closely track what legal experts have told Billboard about the potential weaknesses of La Dart’s case. In an interview last year, copyright expert Aaron Moss said that such a simple book format cannot not be monopolized by any one author: “If it were, this person might as well sue anyone who’s ever written a diary or made a scrap book.”

At the time, La Dart’s attorney William S. Parks defended bringing the case: “My client feels strongly about her position and the full comparison of both books side-by-side would provide a clearer view. This filing was not taken lightly.”

Parks did not return a request for comment on Swift’s motion to dismiss the case.